Speaker defends suspension of DMK members from TN Assembly

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker P Dhanapal Friday defended the suspension of DMK members en masse from attending the rest of the ongoing budget session since July 22 and refused to reconsider it.

Members of opposition parties, including DMDK, the Left, Manidhaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK) and Puthiya Thamizhagam (PT), were on their feet asking permission to speak in the House.

On being allowed, DMDK Whip V C Chandrakumar said the opposition parties had a meeting and were of the view that the suspension of DMK members could be revoked as they need to speak on issues related to their constituencies.
Intervening, Leader of the House and Finance Minister O Panneerselvam referred to the incidents in the House on July 22 and said, "If the DMK members had any objections, they could have made their leader speak against it. Instead they chose to gather around the Speaker and raised their voices, pushing him to take the step (suspension)."

Dhanapal said Panneerselvam had given an extensive explanation and there was nothing more to talk on the issue and didn`t allow others to speak on the issue.

Objecting to the Speaker`s denial of permission, MMK and PT members staged a walkout.
DMK members were suspended for rest of the session, slated to conclude on August 12, after they were evicted from the House for the fourth time since the session commenced on July 10 when they protested against certain remarks of a minister.